Ghana

FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT GHANA - PAGE 5

By Angus MacSwan LONDON (Reuters) - Ghana midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah believes the Black Stars have put their disappointing exit from the 2010 World Cup firmly behind them and can draw on that experience to emerge from a tough group at next month's tournament. Asamoah has been in terrific form for his Italian club side Juventus this season, helping them clinch the Serie A title, and will lead Ghana's charge in Brazil as they seek to become the first African team ever to reach the semi-finals.

The Elephants have gone home. Cote d'Ivoire won its third game at the World Cup last week, beating Serbia and Montenegro 3-2 -- but its earlier losses, to Argentina and the Netherlands, sent the pachyderms packing. Inza Coulibaly, the Ivorian expat whom Tempo followed during the tournament, watched the victory alone in his Rogers Park apartment. "I couldn't show my face" at the soccer-crazed Globe Pub in Lake View, he said. "But I was on the phone with a friend of mine venting my frustrations."

By Mark Gleeson PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Goals by Mahamadou Samassa, Seydou Keita and Sigamary Diarra gave Mali a 3-1 victory over Ghana in the African Nations Cup third-place playoff on Saturday. Mali also beat Ghana in the same playoff match at the last edition in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon a year ago. Samassa put his team in front in the 21st minute with a diving header following a good pass from Adama Tamboura on the left. Man of the match Keita made it 2-0 just after halftime, the midfielder ghosting into the penalty area to convert a cross by Ousmane Coulibaly.

NELSPRUIT, South Africa, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Burkina Faso reached the African Nations Cup final for the first time with a dramatic 3-2 penalty shoutout win over Ghana on Wednesday after their semi-final ended 1-1 following extra time. They clinched the victory after Emmanuel Agyemang Badu missed Ghana's third penalty after a weak shimmy and shot. The Burkinabe will be without the influential Jonathan Pitroipa in Sunday's final against Nigeria after he was sent off three minutes from the end of extra time for a second yellow card.

FORTALEZA Brazil (Reuters) - Well-drilled Ghana nullified Germany's potent attack to keep out the World Cup Group G favourites while causing problems for Joachim Loew's backline in a lively but goalless first half on Saturday. Germany's Manuel Neuer was the busier of the two keepers, palming away Christian Atsu's strike before again proving equal to Sulley Muntari's stinging drive from distance. Germany, who crushed Portugal 4-0 in their opening game, were let down by their final ball and failed to properly test Fatawu Dauda.

ACCRA (Reuters) - The crew of an Argentine naval training vessel impounded in Ghana by a firm seeking to claw back $300 million in defaulted bonds are free to leave the country, a government official said on Sunday. The ARA Libertad and its crew have been detained in Ghana's port of Tema since October 2 by a court order obtained by NML Capital Ltd in a dispute which has strained relations between the west African country and Argentina. "They are free to leave after going through the standard immigration process," a senior government official told Reuters, asking not to be named.

By Kwasi Kpodo ACCRA (Reuters) - A Liberia-flagged oil tanker has gone missing off the coast of Ghana and a senior port official told Reuters on Saturday the captain sent a distress call to say the vessel was attacked by pirates. The Liberia-flagged MT Fair Artemis last made contact with its manager, Fairdeal Group S.A., at 6 p.m. (1800 GMT) on Wednesday when it was operating off the coast of Ghana, the company said. The ship failed to make contact the next day. Pirate attacks jumped by a third off the coast of West Africa last year, pushing up insurance costs for shipping firms operating in a key commodities export hub. "Our primary concern ... is for the safety of those on board the vessel.

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa (Reuters) - The Democratic Republic of Congo conjured up a second half comeback to draw 2-2 with strong contenders Ghana on Sunday as the African Nations Cup came to life on its second day. Three goals in the second half in Port Elizabeth saw Ghana first extend their half-time lead before allowing DR Congo to fight their way back and then come within inches of snatching a dramatic late win. Tresor Mputu and Dieumerci...